Major KARE Foundation Updates over the last 12 months
At Kinetics, we’re committed to continuously enhancing our KARE Foundation offering to better serve your business needs. Security is at the heart of everything we do. In the last 12 months, we’ve rolled out significant improvements across every aspect of our managed IT services platform.
Here’s what we’ve been working on to make IT work for you even better:
Tailored Plans for Every Business
We’ve introduced new service plans that better reflect the diverse governance and operational needs of different business types. Whether you’re a small startup or an established enterprise, our refined plan structure ensures you get exactly the level of support and security your organisation requires.
Enhanced Client Portal Experience
Your gateway to IT management has received a comprehensive upgrade. The new client portal now includes Microsoft 365 licensing reports, giving you clear visibility into your software investments. We’ve also added a comprehensive knowledge base and training resources, putting the information you need at your fingertips.
One of the standout features is our near real-time Microsoft 365 usage monitoring. You can now track license utilisation and monitor data usage across OneDrive, Exchange, and SharePoint – all from one centralised dashboard. Plus, we’ve made our in-person security briefings accessible online with recorded sessions available through the portal.
Bulletproof Server Backup Protection
Our cloud-first server backup solution has been significantly strengthened. We’ve doubled the frequency of our server boot and logon screenshot tests from monthly to fortnightly, ensuring your systems are recovery-ready when you need them most.
The addition of immutable and fortified backup copies provides an extra layer of protection against ransomware and data corruption. With AI analysis now integrated into our boot testing process, we can identify potential issues before they become problems. We’ve also extended backup retention from 30 to 90 days, giving you more recovery options and peace of mind.
Next-Generation Web Protection
We’ve migrated to an advanced web browser protection client that provides more detailed threat information and faster isolation response times. This means better protection with less disruption to your workflow when potential threats are encountered.
Comprehensive Patching Management
Staying secure means staying current with updates. We’ve expanded our patching coverage to include over 50 additional vendors for common freely available non-Microsoft applications on PCs and laptops. We’ve also added Mac patch management to our service portfolio.
Our new CVSS scoring system in the management view helps prioritise critical security releases, ensuring the most important updates are deployed first.
Advanced Remote Support
Our remote control solution has been upgraded with enhanced communication features, including chat capabilities outside of active sessions and video chat support. This means faster problem resolution and clearer communication when you need assistance.
Strengthened Microsoft 365 Security
We’ve introduced the Security Posture report, available through our client portal under Microsoft 365 Security Reports. There is now an enhanced “Security Posture” report with compliance framework mapping for CIS, CISA M365, NIST, CISA, ScuBA and Essential 8 and very recently we expanded the report to now cover over 130 key measurements.
To keep you safe, we deployed Geo-Location logon restrictions to all Foundation clients and implemented stronger controls on user isntalled Enterprise Applications. To help keep you informed we added Microsoft Secure Score and MFA overviews to your Monthly report.
Advanced Security Plus Features
For our Security Plus clients, we’ve upgraded the 24×7 Vigilance SOC service to include 90 days of event retention. We’ve also added endpoint ransomware and data exfiltration prevention to our MDR service, along with password spray detection for Microsoft 365 environments.
These enhancements represent our ongoing commitment to making IT work for you. Each improvement is designed to reduce complexity while increasing security and reliability across your IT infrastructure. We’re busy working on our next updates now to keep your cyber-protection at the forefront.
Some bigger changes we expect to go into 2026 will include:
Improving your Microsoft Secure Score.
We will be auto updating your Microsoft Secure Score to reflect KARE-delivered security measures. Many KARE Foundation clients can expect to see that increase their score by 20%.
Cybersecurity training and phishing testing refresh.
We will start 2026 with continuous training model, replacing the current quarterly batched approached. The new methodology includes stronger reporting and is less disruptive using smaller more frequent training. We will also offer options for new user onboarding training and recurring training focused on your key policies and procedures.
Introduction of SMB1001.
This is an international and certifiable Security framework. We will be adding to your monthly report tracking against the Gold certification standard. This is perfect for clients that need to demonstrate to clients that they have obtained the Gold level. We will also offer certification services.
Even better: these changes are being introduced for no additional cost to you.
To learn more about how these KARE Foundation enhancements can benefit your business, contact our team today. We’re here to ensure your IT systems support your business goals, not hinder them.
Visit portal.kinetics.co.nz to explore the new features in your client portal, or get in touch with our team to discuss how these improvements can strengthen your IT foundation.